England have called up Wasps lock Joe Launchbury ahead of Saturday's clash with Fiji as cover for Tom Palmer who is struggling with a calf injury.

Launchbury will train with the rest of the England squad tomorrow with his promotion following that of Gloucester duo Billy Twelvetrees and Freddie Burns who linked up with the squad yesterday as cover for Harlequins' Jordan Turner-Hall (knee) and London Irish's Jonathan Joseph (ankle) respectively.

Head coach Stuart Lancaster said: "Tom's training was limited last week because of a calf injury so we are bringing Joe in as a precaution and because of the form he has shown recently. We know that he will fit in to the squad well having played in the Barbarians match and in the preparation for the South Africa tour."

England will kick off their end of year campaign having already lost the services of the Northampton trio of hooker Dylan Hartley, lock Courtney Lawes and fullback Ben Foden to injury while Saracens winger Chris Ashton will also be sidelined through suspension.

Lancaster will name his side to tackle Fiji on Thursday with a testing campaign also set to include clashes with Australia, South Africa and New Zealand.